Tanya Writes About Cool Country Songs

I dunno how a southern California girl ended up loving country music so much. I guess, like Trace Adkins sings, the songs are about me. And...the titles themselves could often become romance novels!

Truth to tell, I was raised on classical music, the Beach Boys and British invasion, all fitting as I love Baroque, coastal life and London. Even though I went to college in Nebraska, the love didn't start until we moved north of LA as newlyweds to a rural (for SoCal) area where strawberries are queen and lemons not far behind.

So I got to thinking what songs I'd put on a All-time favorites album of my own. Since I'm listening to Trace right now, I'll start off with One Hot Mama.

Oh, my dream is for my hero to have the DJ dedicate that song to me when our little girl eventually gets married...

Next up: I wanna Feel Something. I just this very day added Ladies Love Country Boys to my profile at MySpace and hope to figure out how to add 1HM as my ringtone...

I could add just about everything Tim McGraw has sung, but I confined myself to two. For at least five years, my dear friend, author Charlene Sands has gotten us tickets to a concert of his, but I guess he's taking this summer off. So I contented myself with Trace who performed at our county fair.

My McGraw picks are, understandably after the journey my hero has been on, Live Like You Were Dying. And Everywhere.

Driving around with our kids during their college days, we all sang along to Garth Brook's Unanswered Prayers. It's a pretty apt song when you realize the answers to prayers do sometimes suck and you don't get the reason until way later. And they were raised on Crystal Gayle. Someday Soon about that rodeo rider still gets to me.

Our lovely county fair also featured Brad Paisley not long ago. I recall him saying "it ain't a true country song unless the girl cries." During my teaching career, I recall arriving on campus in tears to the consternation of colleagues. Oh, no, it's nothing, I'd assure them. I just had KHAY on... Not that the song has to be sad. I get misty just hearing We Danced, watching them in my head dancing across that hardwood floor...

And my heart breaks listening to Brooks and Dunn telling us That Aint' No Way To Go...all about that lipstick letter on the mirror. What a heartless chick!

Speaking of chicks. The Dixies took some flak not long ago, but their Wide Open Spaces can really take me away to where the sky is tall and the range goes on forever.

Blake Shelton listening to that phone message from Austin really gets to me, and Lonestar's Amazed will always touch my heart.

I sing along loud and boisterous whenever I hear Taylor Swift's Another Picture to Burn. Who could help it?

But I have saved two of the ultimates for last. Ever since I heard George Strait's Best Day of My Life, I planned my little boy's wedding video in my head. Until he grew up and actually got married and said, no video, Mom. But it's one of those songs that always gets me weeping.

As does Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA. Nothing more needs to be said about that one.

Oh, I know I can come up with more stirring favorites. But I'll save those for another blog. Just let me know some of the country songs and singers that mean something to you!

I wonder if our lists will be the same.

Tanya Writes About the Ugly Thing Again

Cancer. That's the ugly thing. Since I initially started this blog to promote a romance novel, I've been trying to get it back to its roots. But sometimes, real life intrudes.

Not for me, not for us, thankfully. Normal is the buzzword these days. But there are so many others out there who have started to live the nightmare, to take that journey down a difficult road.

The T.C. loop just featured a response from Eric Shandeau, the Olympic swimmer just diagnosed with testicular cancer, who's putting off his surgery and treatment against doctors advice so he can perform in Beijing. Some of the loop guys feel he's made a foolish decision to gamble with his life; others figure cancer takes away such personal control that Eric at least can reach for a dream in his own way. They ask, but can he be a good spokesperson, later on, if he's let something else take precedence over his health, his downright survival?

The loop has also had a discussion lately, about lyrics in a Brad Paisley song. It's a cute one. His girl sees a deer and thinkgs Bambi; he sees antlers on his wall. He complains about guys getting facials and manicures because, at least he's "still got a pair."

Some took offense at that, as if the I/O (inguial orchiectomy or, testical removal) leaving them one short makes any kind of difference to masculinity. I chimed in. I said my hero and I are a we and us, and it doesn't matter, one or two. Everything's still good. He's still him. But the discussion continues.

Then another guy on the loop struggls with an idiotic insurance company. He's got to come up with $10,000 just to start treatment.

Here at home, we had a neighborhood hoe-down for the fourth of July. Oh I was in heaven, wearing the cowboy hat I just got in Lake Tahoe, judging the chili cook-off. My hero had a righteous time. Until Ben ~ who didn't yet know about my hero's journey~ confided that his 21-year-old son had an I/O July 3 and was awaiting the results of his CT scan and biopsy.

So I wear my yellow bracelet and volunteered to collect from my cul-de-sac for the American Cancer Society. I added Lance Armstrong to MySpace. And I pray.

Today I gave my hero his first haircut! He's keeping it short, so we got a new-style shaver called a Short Cut. It's impossible for me to make a mistake. And now it's bedtime.

Time to hit my knees.